The Black Swordsman
by KiritoYakuza
Summary: Little is known about the past of the solo clearer, the Black Swordsman, the Beater. Kirito is a figure shrouded in mystery of how he rose to the level he attained. Join me as we delve into the beginnings of this force of nature. (This is my first project, and I don't expect to get many fans. But if I do, I will update as soon as possible.)
1. The Black Swordsman

_**Chapter 1, The Black Swordsman Begins**_

_I wonder if Klein is ok…_ This thought passed through my mind yet again as I traveled further from the Town of Beginnings. I had seen a few wild boars and a couple caves, the gleaming eyes of goblins flickering in their shadows. Those eyes, glowing brightly, tinged with red, as if they were living rubies filled with blood lust, brought back Kayaba's words to me, causing a shiver to run down my spine. "_This is a game, but it isn't something you play"._ I continued to hold onto the belief that this was all a stunt, clutching at that hope as if it was my only salvation. Deep down, I knew it was not possible. Some part of me realized that every word Akihiko had said was true. Even though I knew it was true, I refused to believe it.

I continued my journey, ducking into the woods a few times to pick off low level foes, earning experience and col. My inventory was very bare, not much besides the starter gear and col. _Should I try out one of those caves? _ I looked back to the hill that held the bright eyes of the goblins, weighing the risks and rewards of a quick adventure. _Just a peek. If I can't handle them, I will come out._ I headed back that way, the disembodied pupils following my progress then vanishing as I got closer to the cave entrance. _Hmm… They must be waiting to ambush me inside. Where's that… _I checked my inventory again, finding one of the few items I had bought in the town of beginnings, a portable orb that cast light. _Here we go. Let's see what I have to deal with._

The results were almost instant. I activated the light, tossing it a little ways into the cave, and seeing a score of small figures scurrying off to the shadows, two of the figures much larger than the others. _Looks like they live with their big brothers. _I ducked under the overhang, stepping into the aura of light, my shadow distorting as I moved. Seems like the cave is bigger than I thought. Well, time to go a little deeper. Picking the orb up and clipping it to my belt, I pushed deeper into the darkness, following the sounds of scuffling feet and slashing at enemies just out of reach. Panicking slightly, I raised my sword in front of me, looking around before calling out a challenge, unsure if they would understand what I said. "Well? Come on out. Show me what you can do." That's when I heard the grinding. I turned, looking back the way I had come, to see the small bit of light that I had entered from getting smaller and smaller, soon becoming a crescent moon. Then, with a thud that seemed to say, "Welcome to hell", the light vanished and I was trapped.

As that thud echoed and faded throughout the cave, I became aware of a new noise, a soft chanting like sound. The figures I had seen run from the light before I entered now came to stand at its edge, watching me and showing all their grotesque glory. The two larger creatures I'd spotted earlier walked forward, entering the circle of light and barking out a unintelligible command. Torches around the edges of the cave burst to life, shedding light on the small nightmare that faced me. _"This is a game, but it isn't something you just play"._ The larger of the two stepped a bit closer, reaching to it's waist and pulling out a crude, but deadly looking curved scimitar. _"This is a game, but it isn't just something you play"._ As the Goblin Commander lunged at me, it's name and HP popping up, a red diamond spinning lazily over his head as if indifferent to the danger I faced, I began to feel what I hadn't felt since Akihiko Kayaba delivered his ultimatum to the players of Sword Art Online. I felt fear.

**AN: Any of you reading this who are enjoying it, please let me know. And if you have any ideas, go ahead and tell me. Ill see if I can work them in if you tell me. Thank you for reading my story, and please look forward to chapter 2, The Struggle Begins. This first chapter is intentionally short. I was not sure if anyone would like it, but if anyone enjoying my work so far, continues to read, all chapters after this will be full length.**

**Sincerely, KiritoYakuza**


	2. The Struggle Begins

_**Chapter 2, The Struggle**_

_This is going from bad to worse. _I barely managed to get my guard up to stop a critical blow from the Goblin Commander, the tip of his scimitar still slipping in and slicing into my side, my HP dropping 36 points. I brought my sword up, jumping back before dashing at the Goblin Commander, my hilt traveling ahead of the blade to activate one of my sword skills. Juking to the right as the Commander brought his scimitar down in a heavy overhead swing, I let the skill fly, an Upward Slash biting into him just above the belt holding his scabbard, traveling skywards, or in this case, roofwards, rending a gash from hip to shoulder across his chest, the wound pulsing a bright pale red, polygons drifting off it as he brought his sword up to a defensive stance.

I queued up another skill, a short forward thrust to push him back, but as my blade began to glow with a pale yellow aura, the Goblin Commander jumped backwards, the other leader taking his base. While smaller, the new enemy I faced was more muscled, stout and solid, his marker naming him a Goblin Berserker. Wielding a large cudgel, it stepped forward, ears twitching as a lower level Goblin moved, making noise. The Berserker stopped his approach just outside my blades reach, studying me, its nose flaring as it sought my scent. With a low rumbling roar, the Berserker launched itself at me, the weapon and its owner moving at a surprising speed.

Dropping backwards, I sidestepped its charge, bringing my sword down across its back, slicing a little before it hit the small square of metal on the Berserker's lower back. It turned to face me, watching me carefully, keeping its cudgel between me and his chest. After a few seconds of staring, the Goblin Commander gave a grunt, seeming to order the Berserker into movement. Attempting to take its moment of distraction as an advantage, I strafed to its right, queuing the Upward Slash skill again and aiming to hit its side.

**_Clang_**. Without ever seeing it move, the Berserker's massive club was suddenly between its side and the edge of my sword.

With a growl and a glare, it launched me to the side, my back smashing into the wall as my HP fell another 43 points. At this rate, Ill be dead before I even get half of these Goblins. What was weakness? I dodged a smashing hit from the Berserker's club, jumping into a roll to escape. After standing, I strained my knowledge to remember the strengths and weaknesses of Goblins. _Extremely weak individually, they hunt in packs, only going outside at night and staying in caves during the day. The low level Goblins are weaker than all others, without much health or attack power. A single player at level one could take 20 down one after the other with ease. But when there are so many, all together, and in such a small space….. I may not survive to see tomorrow._

Getting carried away in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed the Berserker edging around the room, watching my blade closely as it hefted it's club low and to the right. _It's going to use a heavy upwards slash. I can't block it so I'll have to dodge. But what was it's weakness? Why can't I remember?!_It's skill activated, moving at a frightening speed straight for my head. I ducked, diving to the side and just barely dodging it, the tip of the club clipping my shoulder and brushing through my hair. Just that tiny tick against me took off 7 HP. _164 HP left. Can't let it get to zero. What was their weakness dammit?!_ And right then, the information came to me, like a lost puzzle piece actually being right under what you had finished. _Strong attacks and high defense stat, a Goblin Berserker uses a variety of weapons, all blunt and large. Even with their size, the Berserker can move quickly, and swing it's weapon even faster. Weakness, like all Goblins, is direct sunlight, which makes them slow, groggy, and exposed long enough, will light them ablaze. Weaknesses specific to the Berserker is while it's attacks can deal massive damage taken straight on, they take a longer time to recharge than their subordinates'._

_Well I can't lure him out into the sun, so I am just gonna have to duel him. Slow recharge means his regular attacks will be slower and weaker. That is my opening._ As if on cue, The Berserker charged recklessly like the first time he attacked, his club glowing a dull red as it swung from one side to the other. Ducking under it, I queued my own skill up, activating a high speed but low damage Spin attack to knock it off balance, launching straight into a two-hit thrust skill, both hits piercing the chest of the Berserker, draining it's HP to half. Lunging to the left as it activated another skill, I crouched down behind the Berserker, slashing at its ankles to knock it down. As the hulk of muscle began to fall, I jumped up, ignoring the use of a skill as I aimed to land on it's back, bringing my sword down point first. Straight into it's skull.

As the pixels burst from it's body, a small screen popped up, displaying the loot I had received from kill the Berserker. A handful of Col, and a couple of materials. I glanced up at the Goblin Commander, pointing at the loot GUI. "You better drop better rewards than your brother. I'm disappointed in this." Seeming to get irritated at what I said, if it even understood, the GC drew it's scimitar once more, taking a few steps forward, the slash from earlier still pulsing faintly across it's chest. _Ok. What was this guys weakness? Considering the difference in weapons, I highly doubt this big boy will have the same skill cooldown as the Berserker. Was it something with it's stance? Or maybe the weapon itself?_

As it kept advancing towards me, I struggled to think of the flaw in it's defense or attack. Coming up short, I decided to wing it, charging at it much like the Berserker did to me. With a low, sweeping arc, my blade managed to get past it's guard, slicing a line across it's underarms, intersecting the line I had left on it's chest, and leaving it's flesh, pixels drifting away with it. Just as my thoughts became those of victory, I realized my mistake too late. The Goblin Commander allowed me to get into it's guard. Now, I was so close it could unleash everything it had, and I couldn't dodge. Just as this realization dawned on me, the GC's blade began to glow. Slashing down quickly, it was aimed straight at my head. I shut my eyes, hanging my head in submission at the sure death I would meet. I failed…

BAM! I looked up, startled by the sudden noise. Just above my head, an inch from killing me, the Goblin Commander's scimitar had been stopped by a thin rapier, a plain blade meant for speed. The owner was cloaked, their face hidden in shadows. I couldn't make out the gender from the hand either. Their hand was gloved and arm sleeved. A message appeared in front of my curious eyes, typed and sent anonymously. Is this from the stranger? I wondered as I opened it and read. "Stand up and back away slowly. I will not help you defeat it, but I will keep you alive. This time." I did as the message asked, curious about the newcomer. Should I ask who they are? They may not want me to know anything, considering the gear they're wearing. Well, they saved me so I need to at least give them my thanks. I looked at the figure, watching them closely and opening my mouth to speak, but closing it when the stranger held a hand out, stopping me. As I continued to watch, they parried the Goblin Commander away, stepping far enough away to type a message once more. The GUI appeared as soon as they finished. The words I read chilled me slightly, making me wonder who this mysterious cloaked figure could be. The only clue I had was a single strawberry blonde strand of hair that had fallen and settled on the cloak.

_"You're on your own from here."_ Those were the words in the message. I noticed that the cave had reopened slightly, just enough for a slender person like my savior to slip through. Wish I'd thought of pushing it open myself. Probably would've died though. As I watched, the stranger passed through the hole once more, kicking backwards as they left, knocking a rock out of the gap between the slab that closed the opening, and the cave wall. _Wedged it open too. Smart. Although…_ I turned around slowly, looking at the Goblin Commander with as much confusion as it showed itself. _Why couldn't they take me with them?!_ With a sigh, I got back into my stance, the GC seeming to recover and do the same. _Ok. Can't be reckless anymore. Never again will I depend on someone else to save me. Now what is his weakness…_

As my enemy progressed through the cave room, walking towards me with it's scimitar in front, I finally noticed that it's stance was solid, but when it moved, it jumbled it's steps. _Theres his weakness. Or at least, the only one I can spot right now. Now I just need to get into a position to make this work._ Moving quickly to the side, I managed to cause that jumbled footing, grinning to myself. _So I can make it misstep if I move right._ With a quick fake at the Commander, I managed to cause the footing mistake once more, using that lull in it's movement to jolt around it's left flank, stabbing the it in the side. Thankfully, it's HP dropped a fair chunk. Now we were on near even ground. 156 HP for me, 163 for him. Looking the Goblin Commander in the eye, I smiled like a lunatic. "Now then. Let's dance."

**AN: My apologies for taking so long on this chapter. Got hit with some writer's block and had a few tests to study for, so I was unable to spend much time on it. Hopefully, you all enjoy it still. Please look forward to the next chapter. Who was the stranger? Will we find out next time? Who knows. Guess you'll just have to wait and read what happens after. Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoy this.**


	3. The Stranger

_**Chapter 3, The Stranger**_

As we circled each other, glares passing back and forth, the air seeming to be charged with the intensity of our small bout, I found myself wanting to get out of here alive to find that mysterious stranger. Something so minute given my current predicament was the only thing I could think of. _Oh well. Guess I am gonna be searching for a good while after this. _I charged the Commander, knocking it's balance off and slashing horizontally along it's chest. Jumping back, I queued a sword skill, thrusting my blade upwards through it's defense and connecting the tip straight into it's chin. With a final gargling roar, the Goblin Commander burst into small diamonds, glowing in the faint light of the dying torches.

"Well thats over. Now where are….?" I glanced around, noticing that the smaller goblins had run off, not even a trace of gleaming eyes anywhere to be seen.

"Oh come on. They would have been easy xp. Little bastards." I sighed, smiling despite my anger. "Well at least I survived. And not too shabby a reward." Glancing around, I spotted a chest and opened it, finding a one handed longsword better than my current one.

"Now I just gotta find the way out of here. I wonder..."

Walking over to where the cave door had been, I noticed that a small circle of sunlight followed its curves, something that had definitely not been there before. "So that's it huh?" I pushed at the rock slab and it began to move, rolling back to it's open position on unseen hinges, a reminder of the boundaries of this world. It still is just a game.

_Where to go now? Head to the town, or keep dungeoneering? _

Just as the thought crossed my mind that I didn't have enough col for the gear worth anything in the second town, a sound rang out from the woods. A small, almost indiscernible noise. But a noise that would come to mean the difference between life and near death in the years to come.

A branch cracking.

In the real world, I would never think twice about such an insignificant sound. But here, where the rules lead to glory or absolute death, a cracking branch can decide your fate for you.

Drawing my newly liberated blade, I scanned the tree line behind the goblin cave. Spotting nothing in its dim depths.

_No, not nothing. _There was a small glint, as if sunlight off water, on my right side. As I processed the possibilities of its source, a new noise reached my ears.

The gentle rasp of a slender blade leaving its sheath.

The sound was too loud and prolonged for a dagger, but too soft and resonant to be a great sword. Axes, maces, hammers and such don't have full sheaths, so that left two choices.

A one handed longsword like my own.

Or a rapier like that of my savior.

_**AN: I apologize for how long it has taken me to post a new chapter. I had written almost 12 chapters, which were then destroyed because of a new puppy in my house. (He ate nearly all of the notebook) Here is the beginning of chapter 3. I know it is not very long, but I enjoy this cliffhanger to an extreme and wanted you to all experience it. I will update this chapter with the next 2/3s of it as I finish rewriting it all. It isn't the same story I had originally written, but it is still very good, if I say so myself. I have been enjoying writing this and will be doing a massive update after I finish chapter 3. The next update I swear will hold at least 3 chapters to be added. **_

_**Thank you all for the reviews as well. I know it was very presumptuous of me to ask for reviews on such a new and short story, but I needed to know if anyone was actually enjoying this. And for future reference, any future news updates will be released in a "non-chapter" which will then be replaced by the proper chapter after it is completed. I appreciate all your patience and the reviews were extremely welcome.**_

Should I call out? What if they're a PKer? I questioned myself on what to do, almost certain there wasn't a normal enemy, but in fact a player. The fact that they could be a PKer, the infamous title of those labeled in the community as Player Killers, kept me silent.

Well if I don't call out, I may be caught unawares. There could be more than one if they are a PKer. They don't normally work alone. This was very true. In many of the RPG's I had played before SAO, roving bands of PKers infected the system like a plague, wreaking havoc and causing general unrest while giving the game a bad rep.

Another common thing for PKer's to do is act like a hero, saving people from situations they can't handle only to stab them in the back. My "savior" may very well have been a scout for them, the initial step to getting my guard down and making an attack easier.

But why save me then? if I had died in there, all my gear would have been left behind for them to freely grab. Especially since just three people would have cleared every goblin out with no issue at all!

Still confused about why a PKer squad would even bother saving me, I noticed movement among the foliage, quick little flashes of the leaves and branches being moved aside as something made its path through. Well, looks like Im going to find out what made the flash soon enough.

Keeping my stance, slowing my breathing to a steady sequence, I closed my eyes, reaching out with my limited Search skill to try and identify what I could of my possible threat. Damn. Not able to pick anything up huh? Opening my eyes once more, I looked towards the trees, following the movement of the underbrush before dashing towards it, my blade held low and to the side behind me, an attempt to keep it from tangling in the branches.

As I entered the thick forest carpet, everything seemed to change. My senses felt different, more… enhanced. The light outside the trees had been extremely bright while I was out there, but was now dimmed, allowing me to see further across the path. I could feel the individual grooves of the cloth wrapped around my sword's hilt, the grip conforming to my palm more solidly than before. As I took in these new factors, all seeming to work towards bettering my awareness of my surroundings, I realized that I could no longer hear the cracking of branches, the swish of the leaves as the unknown inhabitant had moved.

Did they stop moving? Did they leave the treeline? I can hear a group of players far down the road, two of them arguing over who would lead, but I can't hear what I had just been watching. How odd…

Just then, a patch of ferns exploded, a cloaked figure holding a slim silver rapier rushing and then pinning me against a tree. Still shadowed, I could make no details out as to what this player looked like, but, minus the rapier point aimed at my throat, they didn't seem to mean me any harm. So in wake of what happened in the goblin cave, I decide to introduce myself.

"If you could please remove your blade from my throat, I would like to thank you for saving me back there." I watched the figure while speaking, no movement betraying their intentions. It felt as if I was being held captive by a statue. Well if that isn't ironic…

"You're a damned fool aren't you?" A gruff voice escaped from the shadows under the hood. Just as I became worried they actually were a PKer, the stranger let go of me, sheathing their rapier in a single flourish, twirling it slightly and slamming it home. "Only a fool would try and take on one of those caves solo straight from the Town of Beginnings."

"Well I guess I'm a fool then. May I ask who and what you are, if you aren't a fool yourself?"

"Since you want to thank me, I guess you should do so properly. The names Gailden. And you?"

"Kirito. Nice to meet you Gailden. By the way, if it is such a foolish venture, why would you enter the cave to save me?"

With a chuckle, Gailden swept back his hood before speaking, long strawberry blonde hair draping down to his shoulders. Sea green eyes with thick eyelashes, tweezed eyebrows and a gentle droop to the edges of his eyes made him seem friendly. A broad forehead inhabited the area between his eyebrows and hairline. His nose was small, gently curved, except for the end. His nose ended in a sharp point, his nostrils flared underneath causing it to resembles the side of a rocket with fins. His cheeks were full with small defining lines along his cheekbones, all of which seemed to lead your eyes to a strong chiseled jawline, dimpled chin with slight stubble, and generic lips, pursed slightly with a feminine curve to the upper but masculine width on the bottom.

"I guess you can call me a bit of a fool as well. But even if what Kayaba said is false, and we don't actually die out there if we die in here, I still wasn't gonna let you die outright. Besides, you seemed to have handled it after I left. And you got some rewards too didn't you?"

"Seems like the two of us will get along then. May I ask where you were headed?"

"To the second town. Same as you, am I correct?"

"Yeah I'm heading that way. I believe it may be a benefit to us both if we travel together as well." I smiled slightly, offering Gailden my hand.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Should we party up, Kirito?" He took my hand, returning the smile, laugh lines crinkling around the edges of his eyes.

"Well I see no reason not to, Gailden." After shaking his hand firmly, I opened the menu, sending him a party invite. "Just until the second town though. I have plans once we get there."

"Of course. You really think I plan on following around a cocky brat all day?" He chuckled, accepting the invite and gesturing ahead of us in the direction of the town. "After you Kirito."

"Heh. You ought to watch who you call cocky. It may just be me saving you next time." Despite the exchange, I took the lead, looking back once to confirm Gailden would keep up.

"Oh? Well if that ever happens, I will personally be your servant. I guarantee you it never will though."

"You never know what can happen. In fact, for all you do know, I could be vastly superior to you."

"That's why you seemed to resign yourself to death in the goblins' lair eh?"

"You know, I really regret that now. It still stings." Even with our back and forth, I felt happy, glad to have found a friend if even for a little while. Maybe we will be able to work together for longer than this path. Maybe we can stay allies all the way to floor 100. Just maybe.

"Well come on Kirito. Keep up!" I glanced up, not noticing I had stopped walking and seeing Gailden now leading the way. "You frozen by a goblin again?"

"Oh you will get it one day. I guarantee you that." I couldn't help but smile again, something I didn't expect to do in this world. Not only a smile. With a laugh, I jogged up to Gailden's side and gestured for him to continue with me. "Lets get to the next town. Then we will see who is the better."

"You suggesting a wager young one?" His eyes sparkled mischievously. "If you are, you better be ready to pay up in the end."

"Thats exactly what I'm doing. And it won't be me paying up. The wager is to see which of us can get to the first floor boss faster. And which of us will win as well."

"You sure enjoy living dangerously. Very well. I accept your wager. Now as for the stakes…"

"If you win, I will serve you. If I win, you will never mention that whole goblin cave fiasco to anyone. Ever."

He grinned at me. "Is that really all you want? I mean, all you had to do was ask me nicely. But since thats the offer, you have yourself a deal, Kirito."

"Yes thats all I want. Now you better not give up on this bet either, Gailden. I wouldn't want to win because you forfeit."

"In your dreams little man!" He smiled broadly, chuckling as we walked. "If you ever wish to win this bet, you are going to need a hell of a lot of training."

"And you are going to need to be damned lucky if you hope to defeat me."

"We will see Kirito. We will see."

We continued our journey, talking about goals we had in this game, and some of our ideas for the real world. After another hour we reached the second town, a smaller but more organized place than the Town of Beginnings. And as we had agreed, we dissolved the party, and set out in different directions. But before we were gone from each other's sight, Gailden turned to me, his kind gaze and warm smile the same as before.

"I will wait for you at the entrance to the dungeon Kirito. You better survive until then, you cocky brat."

"The same goes for you, you annoying gimp."

He laughed, and waved to me as he turned his back, walking off into the landscape surrounding the town. The last I ever saw of Gailden was that silhouette against the sunlight. After clearing the first floor, I went back to the Town of Beginnings to check the names adorning the massive obsidian monolith that was now in place over the respawn point. Sure enough, there he was, a line slashing through his name. Gailden. Skewered by a Goblin Commander. _You damned fool_…

_**AN: I am glad to see people still enjoying this story and and proud to present the finished chapter 3. I hope you dont mind the little bit of jump into the future at the end, because I believe it to be a very interesting ending. Please let me know what you all think of Gailden, and my story if you are new. I welcome all suggestions and opinions. Look out for chapter 4. I am already rewriting it.**_

_**Sincerely, KiritoYakuza**_


	4. Newest Update!

**_AN: CHAPTER THREE IS COMPLETED! I hope you all enjoy the ending and look forward to chapter 4. I am alreeady rewriting it and tweaking all the things that needed more detail. Please let me know any suggestions you have or just make your opinion known. I welcome them all._**

**_Sincerely, KiritoYakuza_**


End file.
